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Aas Newsletter AASAAS NNEWSLETTEREWSLETTER August 2003 A Publication for the members of the American Astronomical Society Issue 116 development of the new statement. Both the DPS President’s Column and the SPD have suggested names of scientists to Caty Pilachowski, [email protected] serve on the AGU panel. When the AGU statement is drafted, the Society can then consider whether we Inside The AAS and Public Policy wish to endorse or even co-sign a joint statement on The AAS efforts in public policy on behalf of the climate change. Members in Nashville strongly 3 astronomical community are increasingly Council supported this direction for the Society, and the important to the Society and to its members. As Actions dialogue will continue as the AGU statement is the participation of the astronomical community brought to Council and to members for discussion. in the public policy arena has grown, so has the As that time draws nearer, we will seek further input range of activities and services coordinated or 4 and guidance from members on this important issue. Prize organized by the Society. Nomination Form Much of the Society’s public policy initiatives are Given the importance of the Society’s public policy overseen by the Committee on Astronomy and statements, Council also initiated and approved a 5 Public Policy (CAPP), currently chaired by Sidney continued on page 3 Membership Wolff. CAPP provides guidance to the AAS Dues & Council on public policy questions, as well as Subscription brings to Council issues that require the Society’s Rates attention. CAPP was established nearly 25 years 2003 AAS Elections ago, and members are appointed by the President, with the approval of the AAS Council. Preliminary Slate 6-7 Fiscal Report Within the Executive Office, our Deputy Executive Officer, Kevin Marvel, coordinates all Vice-President Wallace L. W. Sargent 9 of our public policy activities. These include the Guiuseppina Fabbiano Education News action alerts and informational emails sent to Secretary John A. Graham 12-13 members, the organization of public policy Councilors Jill Bechtold sessions at Society meetings, participation in Karen S. Bjorkman Congressional Visits Day (see the article in the Harvey B. Richer Scenes from the June issue of the Newsletter for more on the 2003 Ata Sarajedini Nashville Meeting event), interaction with other scientific societies Alan M. Title in the area of public policy, and assistance to Greg B. Taylor members who are interested in developing 18 USNC-IAU, Cat. I Edward F. Guinan Honored connections to their Congressional Rolf Kudritzki Elsewhere representatives. Nominating Committee Timothy S. Bastian John R. Dickel The AAS Council also plays an important role in Melissa McGrath the Society’s public policy initiatives. At the Lee G. Mundy Annual Members Meeting in Nashville in May, Additional nominations for Officer or Councilor members had a chance to comment on an may be submitted by mail and must be initiative brought to Council by one of its accompanied by a written statement from the members, Ellen Zweibel, with the support of many nominee indicating a willingness to serve and by other members of Council, that the Society make a the signatures of at least 30 voting Full Members public statement on the issue of global climate of the Society. change. The Society, through the Division for Planetary Sciences (DPS) and the Solar Physics All nominations and supporting materials must be The American Division (SPD), has important and relevant received by Monday, 15 September 2003 in the Astronomical Society expertise to contribute to the debate on climate 2000 Florida Avenue, NW Office of the Secretary. Send nominations to: change, and as scientists, we have a Suite 400 Arlo U. Landolt, Louisiana State University, Washington, DC 20009 responsibility to contribute. At this time the Department of Physics and Astronomy, Baton (202) 328-2010 American Geophysical Union is developing a new Rouge, LA 70803-4001. [email protected] statement on climate change, and the Society has www.aas.org asked the AGU if we can jointly participate in the August 2003 1 Press Conference Tapes, DVDs Available AAS Executive Office Staff Robert W. Milkey, Executive Officer The five press conferences at the Nashville meeting are available in VHS and DVD Kevin B. Marvel, Deputy Executive Officer format from Tennessee State University. For the topics of the briefings, see Diana T. Alexander, Conference Coordinator Dawn-Marie Craig, Publications Assistant www.aas.org/meetings/press. For details on availability, Susana E. Deustua, Director, Educational Activities contact Geoffrey Burks at [email protected]. Note that the Zuzana Kelyman, Registration Coordinator AAS organizes briefings, but does not endorse the Judith M. Johnson, Publications Coordinator Shantice Jones, Member Services Specialist individual reports of discoveries. Debbie L. Kovalsky, Information Systems Manager Natalie Patterson, Financial Assistant Dennis W. Renner, Membership Coordinator Billy Taylor (left) and Geoffrey Burks (both, Tennessee State U.) Crystal M. Tinch, Membership Communications videotaped the press conferences in Nashville. AAS photo by Richard Dreiser, © 2003 American Astronomical Society. The AAS Newsletter (ISSN 8750-9350) is published in March, June, August, October, and December by the American Astronomical Society, 2000 Florida Avenue, NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20009-1231; Tel: 202-328- 2010, Fax: 202-234-2560, [email protected]; www.aas.org. “Turn Off Your Cell Phone” Contest!! The AAS is seeking PowerPoint slides to remind members to turn off their cell phones The $110.00 annual membership dues for the American Astronomical Society include $3.00 before oral sessions. PowerPoint slides should be humorous and astronomically that is applied toward a subscription to the themed. Three slides will be chosen and run throughout AAS meetings; and winners AAS Newsletter. Periodical postage paid at will receive a banquet ticket for themselves or a guest at any 2004 AAS Meeting Washington, DC. Banquet. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to AAS, 2000 Florida Avenue, NW, Suite 400, Submit slides as an attachment to [email protected] by Friday, October 31, 2003. Winners Washington, DC 20009-1231. will be announced in the December Newsletter. Items of general interest to be considered for publication in the AAS Newsletter should be sent to [email protected]. Appropriate pictures are welcomed. For further information about deadlines and submitting articles, see www.aas.org/publications/newsletter.html. Member Deaths Noted Items submitted to the AAS Newsletter are not automatically included in the AAS Since the June AAS Newsletter, the Society is saddened to learn of the deaths of the Electronic Announcements or vice versa. Submit electronic announcement items to following members, former members and affiliate members: [email protected]. Gerald Hawkins Ludwig F. Oster Kevin B. Marvel, AAS Publications Manager Robert W. Milkey, Editor Crystal M. Tinch, Associate Editor Jeff Linsky, U. Colorado, Associate Editor, Letters Manuscript Submissions Using AASTeX Letters to the Editor The AJ and ApJ accept manuscripts Letters to the Editor on current issues of importance to astronomers are welcomed. electronically that are prepared using the AASTeX manuscript package. Following are Letters must be signed and should not exceed 250 words. Send to Jeff Linsky, Associate some important addresses for obtaining Editor, Letters, ([email protected]; 303-492-7838 phone; or 303-492-5235 fax) one information about AASTeX and electronic week prior to the AAS Newsletter deadline. Letters may be edited for clarity/length submission. (authors will be consulted) and will be published at the discretion of the Editors. AASTeX Homepage: www.journals.uchicago.edu/AAS/AASTeX User Support: [email protected] Journal Homepages/Manuscript Correction Submission: AJ, ApJ, ApJL In the June 2003 (Issue 115) the Calendar listing “Massive Stars in Interacting Binaries, www.journals.uchicago.edu/ApJ/information.html 16–20 August 2003 — Quebec province, Canada” has the wrong year listed. The correct year is 2004. In the same issue (page 19), Bill Evans was incorrectly identified as Congressman John Linder. 2 American Astronomical Society www.aas.org Council Actions • Adopted all Committee and Working Group Annual Reports [Committee on Status of Women, Committee on Status of Taken at the 202nd Meeting of the Council of the American Minorities, Shapley Lecturer Program, Working Group on Astronomical Society in Nashville, Tennessee, 25 May 2003 Astronomical Software (WGAS), Working Group on Astronomy Education (WGAE), and Working Group on Professional- • Adopt the Minutes of the AAS Council’s 201st meeting Amateur Collaboration (WGPAC)] which had been received. (Seattle, Washington), as distributed. • Adopted the Annual Reports from the AAS Divisions [DDA, • Approved Executive Committee actions taken between DPS, HAD, HEAD, and SPD]. 5 January 2003 and 25 May 2003. • Authorized the Executive Committee to decide upon either Phoenix, AZ or Long Beach, CA for the January AAS meeting sites in 2009 and 2013. • Decided that the AAS will hold its winter meetings in Seattle in January 2011 and January 2015. Gunn Receives • Delegated to the Executive Committee the task of selecting an Weber Award Auditor for 2003 once the bids have been received from potential The first annual AAS Weber Award audit firms. was presented to Prof. James E. • Approved the 2004 budget as presented. Gunn in May 2002 at Peyton Hall, • Accepted the Annual Report of the Investment Advisory Princeton University. The award Committee. recognized the lifelong work of Gunn • Approved establishment of a bank account for the Division of in Astronomy and in particular his Dynamical Astronomy at the Riggs Bank in Washington, D.C. efforts to advance astronomical • Accepted the results of the AAS’s 2003 election. instrumentation such as the Sloan • Accepted the election of the new members, David S. DeYoung Digital Sky Survey. and Andrea K. Dupree, to the AAS’s 2003 Nominating Committee. • Appointed Catherine A. Pilachowski, Robert P. Kirshner, Joseph “I would like to thank the AAS for A.
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